Pictured: Linda Smith and Don Smith drove four days from Michigan to deliver the seedlings to Alton Baker Native Plant Nursery.

Last week, the City of Eugene received a large donation of 2,000 giant sequoia seedlings for its "2,021 for 2021" planting initiative.

With the goal of planting 2,021 giant sequoias by 2021, this initiative will leave Eugeneans with a lasting legacy in honor of hosting the 2021 IAAF World Track and Field Championships.

The 2,000 sequoia seedlings were a donation from the Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, an organization that aims to preserve and propagate old growth trees. Each tree has either been cultivated from cuttings or seeds taken from ancient trees in the High Sierras. Many of these parent trees are thousands of years old.

The seedlings will be nurtured by Eugene Outdoors volunteers at the Native Plant Nursery for the next year, as the Urban Forestry Team and our regional partners work to find suitable locations throughout the Willamette Valley for the trees to be planted.

A giant sequoia can be a wonderful addition to a large property, business or school’s landscape. The public is encouraged to submit private or public location suggestions for planting a sequoia by visiting our website.